Wood award presented to Parrsboro slo-pitch team

PARRSBORO – Winning the Barry Wood Outstanding Achievement Award is an impressive achievement. Winning it two years in a row is almost unheard of, until now.

The Parrsboro Warriors high school boys’ slo-pitch team was presented with the award for the second straight year during the June 25 session of Parrsboro Town Council, weeks after claiming their second straight provincial championship in Springhill.

“On behalf of council I want to thank you very much for all your hard work in representing us,” said Mayor Lois Smith, to the young athletes packed into council chambers with their coaches and parents. “We’re very proud of you, and it just puts Parrsboro on the top page someplace of somebody’s website, and that’s always a good thing.”

Along with having their team’s name on the plaque that hangs at town hall, each player and coach received a certificate from recreation director Tissy Bolivar.

The Barry Wood award is eligible to any Parrsboro athlete who has excelled in athletics by placing first or second at the provincial or national level.

Wood was a world-class level boxer who died in a tragic car accident in 1989 when he was a teenager. Matt Smith, coach of this year’s champion ball team, was a schoolmate of Wood’s. He explained to his players the significance of Wood’s name.

“He was a year older than me, and Canada-wide he was tops,” said Smith. “He would have gone to the Olympics. It’s a pretty prestigious award, and I don’t know if the kids understand the significance or the caliber at which Barry competed. I just want to make sure they understand that.”